Shas Party's Future Knesset Member Under Scrutiny for Misappropriated Funds

A new investigative report has raised serious questions about Dror Amos, a reserve major in the IDF and a future Knesset member for the Shas party, and the handling of millions of shekels intended for the families of war victims.

Amos, who heads the religious council in Haifa, was recently placed sixth on Shas's Knesset list, a move seen as an effort to appeal to traditional voters amid the ongoing debate over drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the military. The investigation reveals that the "Chesed Chaim V'Emet" (Kindness, Life, and Truth) charity, founded by Amos, allegedly became intertwined with Shas's election campaign. Public funds, channeled through the Ministry for Religious Services, which is controlled by Shas, were directed to Amos's charity for the stated purpose of supporting bereaved families.

However, the report claims that the majority of these funds did not reach their intended destination. Instead, over 2.5 million shekels were reportedly allocated for scholarships for yeshiva students (avrechim), a practice that has been a primary expenditure for the charity in previous years as well. Many communities and families of victims contacted by the investigation stated they had no knowledge of the charity or its supposed assistance.

Further complicating matters, the charity reportedly received a significant donation of 1 million shekels from "Achim La'Oref" (Brothers for the Homefront), an organization linked to Aryeh Deri, a senior Shas figure. "Achim La'Oref" reported transferring 2.6 million shekels, creating a discrepancy of over 1.3 million shekels that the charity refused to explain. In total, the charity received approximately 4.8 million shekels in 2024, with its actual activities appearing limited.

The investigation also highlights potential conflicts of interest regarding Amos's appointment as head of the Haifa religious council, a position approved by the Ministry for Religious Services director-general, Yehuda Avidan. The ministry's legal advisor raised concerns about Amos's political ties and the potential conflict of interest in his continued involvement with the ministry's projects while heading the charity. Despite these concerns, Amos was appointed, and his brother, Osher Amos, took over leadership of the charity. The report also details numerous other contracts and payments made to the charity by various religious councils and authorities linked to Shas, suggesting a pattern of potential double-funding and the allocation of public funds to affiliated individuals and organizations.